Desk-basket lifter



April 29,` 1930. H, A MAY i 1,756,870

DESK BASKET LIFTER Filed Sept. '7, 1929 Patented Apr. 29, 1930 .stirs refr HENRY A. MAY, or sau DIEGO, CALI'ranurav DESK-BASKET LIFTER v Application filed September 7, 1929.' Serial N'o. 391,093.

My invention relates to ofce appliances and particularly to desk fittings including baskets or trays for holding papers. It has for its'object the production of simple and practical means for lifting the contents of a desk basket or tray so as to make them easily accessible for withdrawal of one or more units thtrefrom, preferably by the use of one hand on y.

In using a wire desk basket for papers, documents, and so on, it is frequently necessary to pick up or pick outone or more papers, sometimes the bottom, and as such baskets or equivalent trays are usually placed upon the back of the desk, away from the occupant, it is not only difficult to make the selection and withdrawal desired, without the use of both hands, but it is also very awkward to use both hands with the arms extended across the desk. The diculty is enhanced when one wire basket is used above another, as for example for incoming and outgoing mail and the like.

I overcome these difficulties and attain my object by providing a bent lifter or lever cut and formed up out of sheet metal, which is shaped to rest upon the edge of the basket or tray as a fulcrum, with one member eX- tending outwardly therefrom to be manually manipulated, and the other member'e'xtending into the basket or tray so that the papers, documents, etc., may be deposited upon it. By depressing the outer member, the inner member is raised and raises with it the contents of the basket. By using the wrist of one hand to operate the lifter, the lingers and thumb of the same hand may be used for grasping the papers or making selection therefrom, and the device is a constant time saver as well as a source of com fort and convenience.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa plan view of one end of aI desk basket with my lifter applied thereto, and

Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the basket which it should be yunderstood is merely typical and may be replaced by any form of holder or tray which has a fulcrum for the lifter. 2 designates the lifter Which has a T-head 3 and an operating extension or outer member 1. The two members 8-4 are relatively inclined at an obtuse angle and are connected to a bearing saddle 5, which rides upon the upper edge member 6 of the basket 1. Obviously, by depressing the member l the saddle member 5 will turn upon f the fulcrum 6, and the 'head ,3` will rise until the parts assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It is important that a device of this kind should be light and cheap, hence I construct it preferably of sheet metal, by punching out a blank and then forming it up with the l,

operating extension 1 and the headof the l T 7 parallel to each other, and stiffening flanges 8 and 9 extended along the lever arm 10 and the head 7. rhese fianges are very important, and the gauge of the metal employed is equally important. r1`he latter must be sufficient to support the weight of paper that may go into a desk basket, and the crimping or flanging along the edges adds great stiffness to the appliance and thus aids in the raising of considerable weight. A modification of the flanges might be used to fit the edge of the basket or tray, if the latter were all wood with square edges, but it will be undersood that this and other' changes in detail are wellwithin the scope of my invention, and that in the case mentioned as well as many others the specific form I have illustrated and described will work satisfac torily, provided the edges of the tray or basket are not too thick to form a bearing.

What I claim is 1. A lifter for desk trays or baskets and the like comprising an operating member, extending outwardly from the edge of the basket a saddle fitted to said edge to turn thereon, and an inclined member extending inwardly from the saddle and terminating in a lifting head adapted to normally lie in the bottom of the basket.

2. The lifter described in claim 1, having a T-head.

3. The lifter described in claim 1, composed of sheet metal in T-shape.

t. The lifter described in claim 1, composed of sheet metal With stiflening flanges formed up parallel to its edges. Y

5. The lifter described in claim l, composed of sheet metal in T-shape With a pair of parallel stiflening flanges formed up in the T-head, and connected stiflening flanges extending therefrom to the saddle.

6. A lifter of the class described, comprising an operating member, and a T-shaped lifting member connected thereto through a bearing member, all said members being of one integral piece of sheet metal formed up and shaped With stiffening flanges extending the length of the T-head and other stiffening flanges extending therefrom to the bearing member. g

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature. Y

' HENRY A. MAY. 

